Numbering machine



Oct. 14, 1947. c. A. JOHANSS-ON I 2,428,847

, NUMBE RING MACHINE Filed May .4, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 1 FIG. I. FIG. 2.

Oct. 14, 1947.

c. A. JOHANSSON NUMBERING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4. 1944 Patented Oct. 14, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NUMBERING MACHINE pany of Sweden Application May 4, 1944, Serial No. 534,100 In Sweden May 3, 1943 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to numbering machines.

It is well-known to provide numbering machines with means for changing the adjustment of the machine so as to allow it either to p int a new number at each impression or to repeat any desired number .at two or more successive impressions, before the next number appears.

The object of the invention is to provide a numbering machine with or without such means which is of a simple and reliable construction and the parts of which are easy of manufacture, readily assembled and when assembled easily accessible for inspection or repair.

According to a feature of the invention the driving means of the tens transfer mechanism consist of pawls mounted to turn on a shaft parallel to the shaft of the numeral wheels which may oscillate thereabout, said pawls being adapted to cooperate both with a control disc belonging to the respective numeral wheel of lower order and with a ratchet wheel belonging to'the respective numeral wheel of higher order.

Another feature resides in the provision of means whereby the numeral wheels may be set to any of two different starting positions, that is to say, either to a starting position in which they show a number of characters in front of the numbers set or in another starting position in which they show merely the numbers themselves.

In the accompanying drawing an embodiment of a numbering machine according to this invention is illustrated.

Fig. 1 is a rear view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, as seen from the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line III-III of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line IVIV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line VV of Fis.

Fig. 5a is a vertical section on said line VV with the handle .of the machine shown in its depressed state;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line VI-VI of Fig. 1; and

Figs. '7 and 8 are vertical sections on the lines VII-VII and VIII-VIII, respectively, of Fig. 1.

The machine shown is constructed as a stamp. Theimpression elements thereof consist of wheels |6 provided with number characters, wheel I representing the units wheel, wheel 2 representing the tens wheel, wheel 3 representing the hundreds wheel and so on. The numeral wheels are mounted bythe side of each other on a common shaft 1 secured to the both side members of a yoke-shaped frame 8 mounted to slide up and down in an outer frame or casing 9 open at the front and rear sides of the machine. The frame 8 is provided with a handle [0 projecting above the top of easing '9. Said handle I0 is rigidly connected to frame 8 by means of a stem II, which is guidedin a hollow post l2 carried by the top of the casing 9. The stem H is surrounded by a coil spring I 3 mounted in an enlarged upper portion of the boring of post l2 which normally maintains the handle in its uppermost position.

Each numeral wheel is formed with a circular row of impression characters 0-9 on its periphery, The space between the 9 and the 0 characters is greater than the otherwise uniform space between the characters as reckoned from the 0 character to the 9 character. By this means the numeral wheels may be set to a starting position in which no character at all is ready for impression.

For this position as well as for each other position each individual numeral wheel is formed on its inner periphery with a notch l4 adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressed ball 15 mounted in a radial boring in shaft 1 in order yieldingly to maintain the numeral wheel in set position.

Each numeral wheel carries at one side, that is to say, at its left hand side in Fig. 1, a ratchet wheel which may be rigidly connected to the numeral wheel or formed integrally therewith. Each ratchet wheel is provided with a tooth corresponding to each number character of the respective numeral wheel. The tooth space I! corresponding to the greater space between the 9 and the 0 characters of the numeral wheel is correspondingly greater than the remaining or normal tooth spaces. As to the ratchet wheel belonging to the units wheel the tooth space l8 which in the direction of movement of the numeral wheels follows immediately upon the said greater tooth space H, is deeper than the remaining tooth spaces. In the other ratchet wheels all tooth spaces are of uniform depth.

The ratchet wheelsareadapted to be rotatedby means of pawls l9al9f. These pawls are rotatably mounted individually ona hollow shaft 20 parallel to the shaft 1 of the numeral wheels. Shaft 2!! is carried by two arms 2| rotatably mounted on shaft '1. The pawls are maintained at proper distances apart by means of distance tubes 22, Fig. 3. Extending through elongated slot-s inthe arms 2| is a shaft 24 rigidly mounted in the casing 9 which is also parallel to the shaft 1, The slots 23 are so dimensioned and positioned and the shaft 2&- is so positioned as to cause the arms 25 to perform a predetermined oscillation on shaft 7 each time frame 8 is depressed and raised. The pawls are loaded by springs 25 tending to bring the pawls into engagement with the ratchet wheels. The pawl [9a of the units wheel is always at a shorter distance from its respective ratchet wheel than the other pawls. This is due to the fact that each succeeding pawl is formed with a straight or oblique lateral projection 26 resting on the upper edge of the pawl next preceding.

To effect the tens transfer between the numeral wheels the following means are provided.

On its surface remote from the respective ratchet wheel each numeral wheel, with the exception of the last one, carries a circular disc 30 rigidly connected to the numeral wheel or formed integrally therewith. The disc of a preceding numeral wheel (of lower order) bears against the ratchet wheel of the succeeding numeral wheel (of higher order). The outer diameter of said discs is somewhat greater than the outer diameter of the ratchet wheels but less than the outer diameter of the numeral Wheels. Between each two adjacent numeral wheels there will thus be a groove to receive the respective pawl. The axial extension (width) of each pawl corresponds to the total width of the respective ratchet wheel and the adjacent disc. Each disc is formed with a notch 3| so positioned as to be right below the respective pawl when the discs own numeral wheel is about to be moved from the 9 character to the character, that is to say, when a tens transfer is about to take place. Said notch is of such a depth and such a shape as to allow the pawl to engage the adjacent ratchet wheel. Said engagement, however, can only be accomplished when the pawl [9a belonging to the units wheel is in engagement with the deep tooth space l8 of the ratchet Wheel Isa. In all other positions pawl [9a of the units wheel is keeping the other pawls out of engagement with their ratchet wheels. The same eifect yields also the circular portion of discs 30. The tens transfer operation is thus controlled, in part, by the pawl of the units wheel and, in part, by the control discs 30.

The tens transfer operation will more clearly appear from the following description of the operation of the machine in performing a continuous paging, in which another number is printed on each depression of the handle. Let it be assumed that the machine is in the starting position shown in Fig. 5, in which the number character 9 of the units wheel la is ready for printing. In this position a spring pressed inking pad 32 is held against the number character 9. Said inking pad is carried by a beam in turn carried by the arms 2|. The number character 9 and the inking pad are positioned right above an aperture 33 formed in the bottom 34 of casing 9 which is adapted to be pressed against the surface to receive the impression. The pawl Isa of the units wheel is positioned in front of the tooth representing the forebound of the great tooth space H of ratchet Wheel 16a.

On depression of the handle is the yokeshaped frame 8 is depressed from the position shown in Fig. to the position shown in Fig. 5a. This causes the arms 2| to turn in counter clockwise direction (Fig. 5) by an angle or, removing the inking pad from the number character 9 and retracting the pawls while allowing them to slip on their respective ratchet wheels without rotating same. The turning of the arms 2| be ing completed due to the engagement between the lower end of slots 23 and the shaft 24, the pawl of the units wheel is in engagement with the deeper tooth space H! of ratchet wheel Ilia. In the lowermost position of frame 8 the type carrying the number character 9 projects through the aperture 33 of bottom 34, thereby printing the numeral character 9.

As soon a the pawl lBa of the units wheel enters the deep tooth space IS, the remaining pawls being allowed to turn inwardly on their shaft under the influence of their springs 25 un til they engage their respective control discs 30. Only the pawl or pawls which by this time enter notches 3| are allowed to engage their respective ratchet wheel or wheels. This is always the case in respect of the pawl of the tens wheel but happens in case of the other pawls only when all numeral wheels of higher orders show the number character 9.

On releasing the handle 10 the frame 8 is restored to its uppermost limit of movement by the action of spring 13, causing the arms 21 to return to normal position. This movement causes the pawls and their shaft to move by the angle a in clockwise direction and the inking pad 32 to return to its position beyond the numeral wheels. In the meantime the pawl [9a of the units wheel first moves freely at the bottom of the deep tooth space ill by a certain amount and then turns the units wheel by the angle ,6, corresponding to the tooth pitch represented by the wide tooth space H. At the same time the tens wheel is advanced by its pawl 19b an angle equal to Azfi+7, where Y represents the normal pitch of the numeral wheels. By this means the tens wheel is advanced one step, that is to say, from the 0 to the 1 character.

t will appear from the above description that the pawls may advance their respective ratchet wheels both by an angle corresponding to the greater pitch, as represented by the tooth space I7, and by an angle corresponding to the normal pitch as represented by the remaining tooth spaces. Furthermore, the pawls are capable of advancing the numeral wheels from a starting position between the 9 and the 0 character directly to the 1 character, if it is desired that the machine shall not show any 0 characters in front of the numbers. In order that the machine may accomplish all these functions, the following conditions as to the angles a, {3 and 7 should be satisfied.

The angle a should be less than 27 but greater than B-l-Y. The said condition means that the pawl always moves more than a normal pitch at each step but less than two normal pitches. Thus, the pawl can never advance its numeral wheel more than one number character at a time, when it coacts with the portion of the ratchet wheel having normal pitch. The other condition means that always a 1 character is advanced to printing position should the units wheel from the very beginning be in a position intermediate between her two, three or more times, or infinitely, the following means are provided.

Mounted on the shaft 1 outside the units wheel I is a set of discs 45-44 adapted to guide an axially adjustable pawl 45 carried by a shaft 46 slidably mounted in the tubular shaft 20. The pawl 45 carries an axially turned projection 41 which in all positions of pawl 45 projects beyond an outwardly projecting lug 48 on the pawl 19a of the units wheel.

In the construction illustrated the guiding disc 49 controls a quadruplication of any desired number. To this end the disc 40 is provided with eight teeth, Fig. '7, two diametrically opposite tooth spaces 5|] being deeper than the remaining, shallow tooth spaces 5|. The pawl 45 which is caused to oscillate together with the pawls Isa-l9 about shaft 1, one at each depression of the handle, acts to advance the disc 40 by an eighth of a revolution at each time. As long as the pawl 45 is in contact with the shallow tooth spaces 5|, it maintains the pawl |Sa of the units wheel raised out of engagement with the ratchet wheel IGa. Only when the pawl 45 enters a deep space 50, the pawl |9a is allowed to engage the ratchet wheel [6a and advance same by one step. It is evident that this happens at each fourth depression of the handle only.

The disc 4| allows the units wheel to advance at every second depression of the handle. Said disc carries likewise eight teeth, as shown in Fig. 8; in this case, however, the tooth spaces are alternately deep, as shown at 50, and shallow, as shown at 5|.

The disc 42 controls an advance at every third depression. Said disc is shown in Fig. 4. It is provided with six teeth, two diametrically opposite deep spaces 50 and four shallow spaces 5|.

The disc 43 controls an advance at each depression, that is to say, the normal operation of the machine. To this end disc 43 is circular altogether and its diameter is equal to or less than the bottom diameter of the deep tooth spaces 59 of the discs above described.

The disc 44 controls an infinite repeating of any desired number, that is to say, prevents any advance of the numeral wheels. Said disc is likewise circular altogether, though of a diameter corresponding to the bottom diameter of the shallow tooth spaces 5|.

Inserted between each two adjacent guiding discs 4ll44 are circular discs 52 of a greater diameter than that of the discs, so as to form a guiding slot for the pawl 45 at the circumference of each guiding disc. The pawl 45 is moved by hand from disc to disc and is held in position by its weight or by the action of a spring.

What I claim is:

1. In a numbering machine, the combination wtih a set of numeral wheels and a supporting shaft therefor, of a control disc carried by each numeral wheel of lower order, said control disc 6. having a peripheral indentation therein, a ratchet wheel carried by each numeral wheel of higher order, the control disc of any numeral wheel of lower order and the ratchet wheel of the adjacent numeral wheel of higher order being positioned side by side in the space between said numeral wheels, and a set of tens transfer control-- ling pawls mounted outside said set of numeral wheels and adapted to oscillate in a circular path therearound, each pawl being of an axial Width corresponding to the total width ofa control disc and a ratchet wheel so as to bear upon the pe riphery of its respective control disc and under its control on the adjacent ratchet wheel.

2. In a numbering machine, the combination of a set of numeral wheels, a supporting shaft therefor, a tens transfer mechanism including ratchet wheels connected to said numeral wheels, pawls mounted outside said set of numeral wheels for rotating said ratchet wheels and discs carried by the numeral Wheels for controlling the rotation of the ratchet wheels by said pawls, said discs having peripheral notches and said pawls bearing against the periphery of said discs, and means on each succeeding ratchet wheel whereby the pawls of the tens wheel and those of succeeding wheels are put under the positive control of the pawl of the units wheel.

3. In a numbering machine, the combination of a set of numeral wheels, a supporting shaft therefor, detent means in said shaft and cooperating with each of said numeral wheels to hold it in any one of eleven positions, a tens transfer mechanism including ratchet wheels connected to said numeral wheels, pawls mounted outside said set of numeral wheels for rotating said ratchet wheels, discs carried by the numeral wheels for controlling the rotation of the ratchet wheels by said pawls, said discs having peripherial notches and said pawls bearing against the periphery of said discs, said ratchet wheels being characterized in that the space between the teeth on said ratchet wheels representing the nine and zero characters on said numeral wheels is greater than the space between the teeth representing the other numerals, whereby the numeral wheels may assume as a starting position an intermediate position between the nine and zero characters thus preventing the printing of non-significant ZGIOS.

CARL ANTON JOHANSSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

